The invention is related to a method for the determination of the thickness of the insulation of a flat ribbon cable in the region of the conductor paths.
Flat ribbon cables are increasingly being used, particularly in the automotive industry. Flat ribbon cables present a plurality of strand-shaped flat conductor paths, which are disposed in a narrow distance side by side and which are embedded in insulation material. The width of the individual conductor paths varies according to the respective use, e.g. from 0.5 to 20 mm. The thickness of the conductor paths is approximately equal and is typically at 0.2 mm. The total thickness of the flat ribbon cable results from the thickness of the flat conductors and that of the insulations which are applied on both sides. A typical thickness of the insulation layers is 0.15 mm. Thus, the total thickness of the flat ribbon cable is about 0.5 mm.
Such flat ribbon cables have the advantage that an automatic assembly can take place with them, i.e. automatic bonding with other wires, plugs or the like. In order to do this, it is indispensable that the conductor paths have an accurate positioning inside the insulation envelope. For the user, however, it is also important to know whether the thicknesses of the insulation layers do have a predetermined value, particularly above and underneath the conductor paths.
Thus, the invention has the objective to state a method and a device for the determination of the thickness of the insulation of a flat ribbon cable in the region of the metallic conductor paths. Furthermore, a position determination of the conductor paths inside the insulation of the flat ribbon cable is intended to be possible with the aid of the method according to the invention.